Speaking-Up at the AGM or GMM at your home Co-op or at CHF Canada's AGM

CHF Canada's guide to speaking up at CHF Canada's AGM. Click link below to access:

http://www.chfcanada.coop/eng/pages2007/speaking-up.asp

Speaking up at your home Co-op Annual Meeting ("AGM") or the Co-op General Membership Meeting ("GMM")

CHF Canada's guide to speaking up at CHFC's AGM for the most part can be a good model to follow at members' home housing Co-op AGM's or GMM's.

Please note that excerpts noted below in brackets are taken from the CHF Canada guide to speaking up. Words have been edited out of a few excerpts noted below in order to help it conform with a AGM or GMM that may commonly be found at a members' home Co-op. Some words noted outside brackets have been added that may help the guide conform better with a AGM or GMM that may commonly be found at a members' home Co-op.

[Why speak up?]

[Democratic control by members is one of the main principles of a co-operative like ours. If members don't speak up, they will leave the control in the hands of a few members.]

[How to get the members to talk about your idea]

Send your resolution and sample motion to your home Co-op corporate office at the appropriate time prior to the deadline for your home Co-op AGM or GMM, and request it to be added to the Co-op AGM or GMM Agenda along with background information, if any, and request it to be circulated to the Co-op membership for their review and consideration along with the Co-op meeting information package.

If you think of something important after the deadline, send it to the Co-op corporate office or bring it to the Co-op meeting and ask the members' to talk about it anyway. If there's no time at the meeting, the Co-op board or membership can look at late resolutions, example: after the AGM or GMM.

[How to find out if members agree with your idea]

Members' can make decisions at AGM's or GMM's by debating motions.

[If you already sent a resolution, the chairperson will call on you to make your resolution a motion.] When this happens, say for example: "I move resolution #9."

[If you sent a resolution in after the deadline, the chairperson will ask members if they agree to discuss it. If you think of something at the meeting,] the meeting chairperson, Co-op membership or Co-op resolution committee, if any, may help you turn it into a motion.

[The chairperson will ask if at least one other person in the room supports the motion before the members can discuss it. If you didn't make the motion, but want members to talk about it, say "I second the motion."]

[How to give your opinion]

[If you made the motion, the chairperson will let you start the discussion. If you didn't make the motion, but have an opinion,] state for example, "Madam/Mr. Chairperson, I raise my hand and rise to a Point of Information". [When the chairperson calls on you, say what you think as clearly and as briefly as possible.]

[Remember, you must speak to the motion. It helps to start with "I want to speak in favour of the motion because...", or "I want to speak against the motion because..."]

[How to change the motion]

[If you want to make some changes to the motion before you can support it, then you should amend the motion. If the change you want is very short and simple, say "I move to amend the motion to read {whatever you want your motion to be}". If someone seconds this motion, then it will be discussed and voted on.]

[If the change you want is more than one short, simple idea,] then be prepared to have an alternate written motion prepared that reflect changes you want to your motion that the chairperson, recording secretary, and membership can understand by requesting it be written onto the meeting room chalkboard or easel & paper-board, if any, so everyone in the meeting room can understand your motion.

[Note: An amendment can add, subtract, or change parts of the first, or main motion. But it can't go completely against the main motion. If you don't like the motion at all, vote against it. If the motion is defeated, then you can make a new motion.]

[If your amendment is very minor and that you think that the movers and seconders of the main motion will agree, then say "I hope this will be considered a friendly amendment." The chairperson will then ask the members who moved and second the main motion if they agree to the change.]

[If they do, then the amendment becomes the main motion. If they don't, then the meeting stops talking about the main motion, and discusses and votes on the change. If the amendment passes, it becomes part of the main motion. If it is defeated, the members go back to discussing the main motion in its original form.]

[Unless the change you're proposing is very minor, the chairperson will probably ask you to move it as a formal amendment.]

[How to take back a motion]

[If you made a motion, and then during the discussion realize it was not the right time to make a decision, or it would be better to talk about another motion, then say "I wish to withdraw the motion.]

[If someone else objects, the chairperson will ask for a vote but there will be no discussion before the vote.]

[How to stop the discussion]

[If you think the discussion has gone on too long, and that most members have already made up their minds,] then raise your hand and stand up, and the chairperson] may recognize you and call on you, say ["I call the question" or "I move to close the debate". If someone seconds your motion, then the chairperson will ask members to vote on whether to end discussion. If two-thirds of the members vote on your motion, then the meeting must vote immediately on the motion or amendment being discussed.]

[How to put off discussion to a future date]

Raise your hand and stand up to be recognized by the chair and say ["I move to defer the question to the next] Co-op "AGM or GMM". [Or, if members clearly don't want to deal with this issue in the foreseeable future, say "I want to table a motion."]

[How to turn a decision over to another group]

[If you want the board to make the decision, say "I move to refer the question to the board of directors."]

[When you can speak out of turn]

[There are only three times when you can jump ahead of your turn to speak.]

[If you think the chairperson is not following proper meeting procedure, then call "point of order"], and raise your hand then stand up [and explain what you think is wrong. The chairperson will rule on your point of order. If you don't like the chairpersons ruling, say "I would like to appeal the decision of the chairperson." The chairperson will then ask the members to decide who is right.]

[If you have an important bit of information that will save a lot of discussion, then call out "point of information"] stand-up [and make your point as briefly as possible. Make sure you really have information to give and that you don't use this as a chance to argue for or against the motion, or the chairperson will call you out of order.]

[If you can't hear the chairperson or members, call out "point of privilege"], then stand-up [and say what you want to be done.]

[How to vote]

Voting on a motion at a AGM or GMM can be done by a show of hands that involve a hand count. [When the chairperson calls for a vote, you can:

vote yes, when the chairperson says "All in favour,"

vote no, when the chairperson says "All against." or

raise your hand when the chairperson says "Abstentions" if you have a conflict of interest or don't want to vote.]

[Sometimes members abstain because they don't understand the motion. It is better to ask for explanations during the discussion, so that you can vote.]

[Don't be afraid to ask a "dumb question." If you are confused, then other members are too.]

[Finally]

[Remember, it's your meeting. The only way to be heard is to speak up.]

Recommended rules to follow at your home Co-op AGM, GMM or Special Meeting of Members'. Click link below to access Robert's Rules of Order Online:

http://www.RulesOnline.com

Have A Nice Day,

Ken Hummel, Administrator, CHIE